Recent Coverage

Johnny Weissmuller (left) and Duke Kahanamoku (right) at the 1924 Paris Olympics

HISTORY

At the 1924 Paris Olympics, Tarzan Faced Off With the Ambassador of Aloha

Brazilian Olympic surfer Gabriel Medina pops up after riding a barrel wave at Teahupo'o during the Summer Games on Monday. The photo by Jérôme Brouillet has gone viral.

SMART NEWS

The Story Behind This Breathtaking Viral Photo of an Olympic Surfer

Athletes like Canada's Sanoa Dempfle-Olin traveled to Tahiti for this year's Olympics.

SMART NEWS

Why Are the Olympic Surfing Events Being Held in Tahiti?

Crews even used purple glue while adhering the vulcanized rubber track to its asphalt base.

SMART NEWS

Why Is the Paris Olympics Running Track Purple?

Formerly a royal residence, the Louvre Palace is now home to one of the world’s most famous museums.  

TRAVEL

See 15 Picturesque Views of Paris

Bridge, Glenn Kaino, fiberglass, steel, wire and gold paint, 2013-2014

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

Tommie Smith’s Raised Fist at the 1968 Olympics Inspired a Massive Golden Sculpture That Signifies the Art of His Protest

Technological advances have changed Olympic sports—including fencing, sprinting, distance running and pole vaulting.

SCIENCE

From Sleek Swimsuits to Specialized Running Shoes, These Five Innovations Transformed the Olympics

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SCIENCE

How to Sweat Like an Olympian

The torch from the 2024 Summer Games in Paris was sold along with a torchbearer's uniform.

SMART NEWS

2024 Olympics Torch and Torchbearer's Uniform Sell at Auction

Women archers compete at the 1908 London Olympics.

INNOVATION

From Corsets to Singlets, the Olympics Have Driven the Evolution of Women's Sportswear

From the Archives

Interest in gymnastics soared during the Cold War, when the Olympics emerged as a cultural battleground for Western and Eastern nations.

HISTORY

A History of Gymnastics, From Ancient Greece to Tokyo 2020

Will an American athlete from the Tokyo Games grab gold and become the next to be featured on the cover of Wheaties?

INNOVATION

How Wheaties Became the 'Breakfast of Champions'

A mural in Munich's former Olympic Village features Otl Aicher's pictograms.

INNOVATION

This Graphic Artist's Olympic Pictograms Changed Urban Design Forever

Made of fermented vegetables, kimchi was popularized globally during the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

TRAVEL

How the 1988 Olympics Helped Spark a Global Kimchi Craze

The Games may not exist at all were it not for the perseverance of the Brits.

HISTORY

The Little-Known History of How the Modern Olympics Got Their Start

The National Aquatics Center is where Michael Phelps earned his eight gold medal during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Today it's been transformed into the Happy Magic Water Cube, one of Asia’s largest waterparks.

TRAVEL

Four Olympic Stadiums With Unexpected Afterlives

Scenes from the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

SCIENCE

The Rise of the Modern Sportswoman

A few of the Olympians pose for a photo upon their return to the U.S. after the 1936 Games. In the back row, on the far right is Tidye PIckett and third from the left is Louise Stokes.

HISTORY

Sports History Forgot About Tidye Pickett and Louise Stokes, Two Black Olympians Who Never Got Their Shot

Esther Williams, Million Dollar Mermaid

HISTORY

Synchronized Swimming Has a History That Dates Back to Ancient Rome

“Even the greatest things in the world need attention when they’re not as strong as they could be. It was a cry for freedom,” says Tommie Smith of his silent act at the 1968 Olympics.

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

What You Don’t Know About Olympian Tommie Smith’s Silent Gesture

United States athletes at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

ARTS & CULTURE

Who Really Composed NBC's Olympic Theme? Not Who You Think

Chuck Taylor All Star, circa 1957

INNOVATION

How Chuck Taylor Taught America How to Play Basketball

Pankration scene: the pankriatiast on the right tries to gouge his opponent's eye; the umpire is about to strike him for this foul.

HISTORY

The Ancient History of Cheating in the Olympics

Fanny Blanker-Koen crosses the finish line to become the first triple champion of the 14th Olympic Games.

HISTORY

How Fanny Blankers-Koen Became the 'Flying Housewife' of the 1948 London Games